Soli Deo Gloria

What serves as your deepest motivation? The last sola, “God’s glory alone,” provides the answer to this question for us. From the perspective of Scripture, in both the OT and NT, we are told “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory” and “do all to the glory of God” (Ps 115:1 & 1 Cor 10:31). In other words, the driving impulse of our lives should be living for the eternal fame of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our greatest pursuit is boldly proclaiming God’s greatness. The Reformers understood this. For them, the doctrinal battles that they had with the corrupt medieval church boiled down to the question: would man be glorified or would God be glorified? Thankfully, they chose the latter answer.

An objection that arises to “God’s glory alone” might be, “What do I get out of it?” If God is glorified above all, does that mean we as people lose out? Possibly another way to put this: does God’s glory oppose our good, or does it establish it? The answer to this question comes from Isa 43:7, which reads, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory.” Our greatest joy is found in us fulfilling the purpose for why we were made. Why did God make me? We were all “created for [God’s] glory.” No other purpose will satisfy!

Are you looking for meaning? Do you desire deep & abiding purpose? Trying to find eternal joy in life’s storms? Look no further than “God’s glory alone.” The heartbeat of our lives, church family, is to be a burning hot, blazing zeal, contagious passion for treasuring the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all other pursuits. God, rescue us from worthless pursuits, light a fire in our souls for Your Name!

Pastor Chance Sumner